Automate Mii: SEAT Introduces the Mii Auto

AUTO CENTRAL– August 27, 2012: The SEAT Mii already boasts class leading space and versatility, but now it’s become an even more attractive proposition in the city thanks to the addition of Auto specification, which adds an automated manual gearbox.

The sequential transmission is extremely economical – so much so, in fact, that the Mii Auto is 2.7mpg more fuel efficient on average than the Mii Sport, which has the same 1.0-litre 75PS engine with a manual gearbox. Naturally, CO2 emissions are slightly lower too.

All versions of the Mii offer startling efficiency, but the Mii Auto proves that the additional comfort of an automatic gearshift needn’t come at the expense of fuel economy.

The Mii Auto boasts average fuel consumption of 62.8mpg and a 105g/km CO2 rating, compared to the manual equivalent’s 60.1mpg and 108g/km.

Based on the manual five speed gearbox, the automated version does away with a manually operated clutch, instead utilising an electric motor linked to a pair of electromechanical actuators to handle gear changes.

The result is a gearbox with the operation of a traditional automatic transmission, but with light weight and compactness more akin to a manual unit; at around 30kg, the entire gearbox weighs only three kilograms more than the Mii’s five-speed manual.

The gearbox is only available with the 75PS engine and in SE trim, making Mii Auto a standalone model. There are currently no plans to offer it with the lower powered 60PS engine (with which it shares identical average economy and CO2 figures).

Performance is only marginally affected by the loss of a manually operated clutch, with the Mii Sport’s 13.2 second 0-62mph benchmark increased slightly to 13.9 seconds in the Mii Auto. Top speed remains at 106mph.

There are only three gearbox settings for drivers to choose from: neutral (N), drive (D) and reverse (R). Unlike most automatic gearboxes, it has no ‘park’ setting, and there is no ‘crawl’ function when the brake is released; if the car is switched off while in drive mode, first gear is automatically engaged. The driver has the option to manually select gears using the lever.